The Massive Mallet represents the crushing blow delivered to those citizens who voted to make “change” the theme of the 114th Congress.
John Boehner has been re-elected as Speaker of the House, though the number of Republican members voting against him more than doubled over 2013. There were 25 “NO” votes, which represent the most change votes cast against any Speaker since 1913. The uprising fell 4 votes shy of forcing a second ballot.
The only Speaker election in the past century, for which multiple ballots were even needed, was when Frederick H. Gillett (R-Mass.) required nine ballots to win reelection as Speaker, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The Democrats like the Republicans had only a handful who voted for someone other than Nancy Pelosi the outgoing Speaker.
So as we start this legislative session the only difference is the Republican majority is quite a bit larger giving the Ohio Representative a cushion to cover his errors.
Clearly the establishment successfully delivered the message to anyone, who might shake up the status quo, that you might have trouble with your bills if you don’t go along.
With the Republican majority in the Senate at least the house will have an opportunity to get legislation they pass in front of the President, forcing him to veto legislation for the Keystone Pipe line or changes to Obamacare. This will expose who is the ultimate problem.